NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008 31
Ten men
Patrol ship crew in town
Arboretum
escaped
EASTBOURNE was the venue for a conducted the service in the presence
mini-reunion of the HMS Protector of 170 members and guests.
Association. Also on display were standards expecting
The event was also a chance from the Eastbourne and District
Kite, not
for S/M Graham Chadfield, the Submariners Association, the local
association’s standard bearer, to branch of the RNA and the RBL.
crowds for
present the newly-acquired standard HMS Protector served as a fast
nine…
for dedication. netlayer during World War 2 before
Association padre the Rev being refitted to serve as the RN’s
Peter Millam, officiating chaplain Antarctic patrol vessel from the
ceremonies
RN 1966-70 (Falkland Islands) mid-1950s until 1970.
● Members of the HMS Protector Association in Eastbourne
ROD Wells has written to us in
THE National Memorial
response to the report on the
Arboretum in Staffordshire is
tribute plaque to HMS Kite, as
printed in the September edition
of Navy News.
A plaque was unveiled in Essex
bearing the names of the 217
men who died when Kite was
torpedoed on a Russian convoy
Bill leads singing at
expecting up to 20,000 people
will visit the site during this year’s
remembrance period.
Remembrance Sunday will offer
the chance for families, friends
and other visitors to pay personal
tributes to those who lost their
in 1944, and our information was
lives in the service of the country.
that two of the nine survivors of
the sinking attended.
Services of remembrance
Not so, said Mr Wells – one
are scheduled for 10.45am and
man cheated death and the official
2.15pm, allowing people to attend
records.
other such services in their own
“There were, in fact, ten
local communities.
survivors; my late friend John
his 108th birthday
The gates will open at 9am, and
Taylor also escaped the sinking,”
given the large number of visitors
said Mr Wells.
anticipated, an overflow park-and-
“He was officially reported FORMER CPO Bill
despatches for his work when the
ride scheme costing £2 will operate
missing, but eventually returned
Stone celebrated his
ship was damaged by an Italian
from nearby Catton Hall once the
to Britain in a USAAF Liberator.
Arboretum car park is full.
“He said it was a far hairier ride
108th birthday at his care
torpedo.
In 1986 he and Lily moved to
On Armistice Day (Tuesday
than any on the North Atlantic
home near Wokingham on Watlington, in Oxfordshire, to be
November 11) the arboretum will
convoy run.” September 23 by leading
nearer their daughter and family.
be playing a key role in national
the singing at a party with
He became an active member
commemorations for the 90th
Close call
anniversary of the day which
some 70 residents, family
of many service organisations,
including the High Wycombe marked the end of World War 1.
and friends. branch of the RNA, and was The site will be open all day, and
for veterans
Local press and TV were a regular attendee at HMS a ticket-only service will be held at
there in force to record the
Hood Association and HMS the Armed Forces Memorial.
FOUR survivors of the sinking of event.
Newfoundland Association General access to the memorial
HMS Exeter at the Second Battle Bill, who was born in 1900 near
reunions. will not be possible until 12.30pm.
of the Java Sea were guests of the Kingsbridge, Devon, joined the
After Lily’s death in 1995 he www.thenma.org.uk
marina
Royal Navy for a memorial service Royal Navy aged 18 at Devonport
continued to live in his own home The national commemoration
in the far East – but nearly missed as a stoker and remained in the
until a fall in 2006 forced him to in London will this year focus
the boat. Service for the next 27 years.
move to a care home. on the remaining World War 1
S/M Bill Francis, of Newport He left at the end of World War
Although age and decreased
veterans, who will lay wreaths
branch, and his three companions 2 as a chief stoker and settled in
mobility has curtailed his
as they remember their fallen
were delayed on a flight to Paignton, Devon, with his wife,
activities, he continues to
comrades on Armistice Day.
Amsterdam and missed their Lily.
enjoy life and remains in good
The short service will be led by
connecting flight to Singapore. He is believed to be the last RN
voice – something the chaplain
the Bishop of the Armed Forces,
Travelling 24 hours later they sailor living in the UK to have
appreciates each Sunday at the
the Rt Rev David Conner, and it
made it to the jetty with an hour to served in both world wars.
care home chapel.
should last around 25 minutes.
spare before HMS Kent sailed. During his career Bill served in The annual act of remembrance
● Bill, seated, with local RNA
From that point on everything many ships, including HMS Hood
shipmates (from left), Reg
will take place on November 9,
went to plan, and the four veterans when she led the Special Service
Stokoe, Tony Toms and Bert
when the Queen, other members
were able to pay tribute to their Squadron ‘Empire Cruise’ around
Bargeman of the Royal Family, senior
colleagues when Kent was brought the world in 1923-24. politicians, military chiefs and
to a halt over the wreck of the In World War 2 his ship, the Heads of Missions in London will
heavy cruiser almost 100 miles minesweeper HMS Salamander, lay wreaths and pay their respects.
north of Bawean Island. took part in the Dunkirk Wartime pilot’s next of kin sought
The 2008 Devon Royal British
Around 800 men survived the evacuation, making a number of
Legion Festival of Remembrance
sinking of the warship on March trips to France to rescue soldiers PERSONAL effects of a Naval face and a buckle – were recovered, Ada Scriminger of Scarborough,
will be held at the Great Hall
1 1942, only to be picked up by from the beaches. pilot who died during a wartime but the hunt is now on for any but a letter to his last known
of the University of Exeter on
Japanese ships and consigned to Later, in 1943, in light cruiser exercise have been excavated from surviving relatives. address was unsuccessful.
Thursday November 6, starting
years of misery as prisoners of war HMS Newfoundland at the Sicily the site of the crash – and now the Before joining the Fleet Air If anyone can help, contact
at 7.30pm.
in the hands of the Japanese. landings, Bill was mentioned in search is on for next of kin. Arm in 1944 the pilot served as a Deborah Morgan on 01452
The festival will feature the
S/Lt Richard Catlin Scriminger
Flying Officer with the RAF. 712612 ext 7330 or email
Royal Marines Band Lympstone.
£50 PRIZE PUZZLE
RNVR died at the age of 22
He was the son of Harry and jccchistcas1@spva.mod.uk
As well as the victims of the
on February 13 1945 when his so-called ‘war to end all wars’,
Corsair fighter JS590 crashed into
RNA and RNLI join forces
tribute will also be paid to the
a field near Charlton Mackrell sacrifices made by members of
in Somerset during dogfighting SELSEY branch and the Selsey lifeboat joined forces for an open-air the British Armed Forces in all
exercises. ‘service of praise and thanksgiving’ on the Lifeboat Green to mark the conflicts since 1918, including
S/Lt Scriminger is buried at branch’s 30th anniversary. World War 2 and the present
Scarborough (Manor Road) The service also incorporated the rededication of the two standards. conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
cemetery, and the wreckage of A large contingent from Selsey and other Area 3 branches saw a fine The evening will include the
his plane was excavated under a turnout of standards – 18 from the RNA and RBL, plus the Lifeboat traditional muster of standards
licence granted in 2007. standard and those of various Scout and Cub groups. of Legion branches and other
Some personal items – a watch The parade and service attracted crowds of appreciative onlookers. ex-Service associations.
Eastern branch raises standard
THE mystery ship in our
September edition (right) was MEMBERS of the Eastern
HMS Albion, and the current Cyprus branch were joined by
ship which carries her pennant serving members of the JSSU
number of R07 is HMS Ark (Cyprus) at St Patrick’s Church at
Royal. Ayios Nikolaos for the dedication
She was correctly identified of a newly-bought standard.
by Mr Oldham of Exmouth, who
HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH.
The ceremony was conducted
wins our £50 prize. Coupons giving the correct answer by the Rev Eric Freeman, who is
This month’s ship (above) is will go into a prize draw to establish also branch padre and president.
pictured from HMS Eagle during
a winner.
Standard bearer was WO1
a particularly tricky RAS in 1955.
Closing date for entries is
Simon Joyce, who stood alongside
The auxiliary tanker was
December 1. More than one entry
other association representatives
commissioned in 1946 and
can be submitted, but photocopies
and bearers of standards from
served for 20 years before being
cannot be accepted. Do not include
anything else in your envelope: no
the island’s Western branch, the
scrapped in Singapore in 1967.
correspondence can be entered into
RAFA, the RE Association, the
What is the name of the ship,
and no entry returned.
RBL and the Scouts.
which we have removed from the The winner will be announced in “The dedication is the
picture. our January edition. The competition culmination of more than 18
Complete the coupon and send is not open to Navy News employees
months hard work in getting the
it to Mystery Picture, Navy News, or their families.
branch off the ground and now
cements our identity within the
MYSTERY PICTURE 165 RNA,” said branch chairman S/M
Eric Hirst.
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CPOET(WE) Beeby from
JSSU(Cyprus) has been a key
figure in maintaining links with the
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . branch since its inception and has
obtained permission to hold the
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . branch meetings in the Warrant
Officers and Sergeants Mess.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . More than 30 members formed
the branch in order to cut down
My answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travelling time to Episkopi to the
● Standards are paraded at the service of dedication for the Eastern Cyprus branch standard in St
renamed Western branch. Patrick’s Church, Ayios Nikolaos
030-031_NN_oct.indd 2 21/10/08 10:53:40
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